Fit-again Jean-Luc du Preez hoping to reignite Bok ambitions at Bordeaux

The 30-year-old joined Bordeaux from Sale Sharks in the off-season, but his debut was delayed by the injury.

Du Preez could well feature in the Top 14 clash against Racing 92 on Saturday but if it doesn't come this weekend, he will almost certainly be available for the Investec Champions Cup ties with Northampton Saints and Bristol Bears.

"He's been training with the team for the past three weeks," Bordeaux coach Noel McNamara said. "I hope he'll be available this week to play in the match.

"It will also allow us to rest some of the back-row players who have played a lot. I hope Jean-Luc can contribute, because he's a top level player. He's already shown that with the Springboks, the Sharks and Sale."

Du Preez will hope for more luck than he had while with South Africa, having narrowly missed out on the chance of representing Rassie Erasmus' team in 2025.

The back-rower has consistently been on the periphery of the Springbok squad during Erasmus' time in charge but, with them lacking options at number eight, he was given an opportunity against the Wallabies at the start of the Rugby Championship.

Illness forced him to withdraw late on but another opportunity presented itself when they took on the All Blacks. However, the aforementioned knee injury ruled him out of the Eden Park clash and the start of the northern hemisphere campaign.

It means that Du Preez remains stuck on 14 caps with his last Test appearance coming against Argentina in a 2023 Rugby World Cup warm-up.

He will be hoping that misfortune does not continue as he begins his career with Bordeaux. The loose forward got himself back in the international reckoning with his displays for Sale, and signing for the defending Investec Champions Cup champions gives him a chance to prove his credentials to Erasmus once more.